It’s the venue that has started the San Antonio revival in Ibiza. The wildest day club this side of Vegas headed up by one of the best hosts in the business. Flying cars, incredible house music DJs, insane champagne fights, the coolest saxaphonist on the planet and celebrities a-go-go. Dan Prince checks in with the main man…
Tony a very warm welcome back to DMCWORLD. You are thankfully back in Ibiza getting set for the season ahead…does it always feel like coming home when you land on the white isle?
Thank you and a pleasure to be back talking to DMCWORLD. Yes very much so as I spend seven months of the year here and then in the other five remaining months I come back at least three times in those winter months anyway, so it really does feel like a home. I have most of my worldly possessions here as well so it’s a real home from home as they say.
Looks like you had a lovely winter in some stunning hot locations. What is the most far flung destination you’ve recognized someone who has been down to ocean beach?
Yes this winter I have been to lots of places around the globe and luckily enough the majority of them for work – but my work is also pleasure so I am very lucky really. Funny you should ask me this question regarding bumping into someone as I was in Jamaica in February and we went to a local market to have a look around. I had to have a pee so I popped into a restaurant and as I was standing there a cubicle door flew open and out walked a guy who was in Ocean a few times last summer, who just so happened to be on holiday in Jamaica. Very random. And yes, I made sure he washed his hands before we shook hands and said hello!
When I found out you were at the Dubai World Cup horse racing festival in March, I desperately tried to get a message to you so you could bet your house on Sole Power which I’d had a big tip on. I was too late huh?
Yes we had a great day at the races Dan, they sure know how to put on a great spectacle in Dubai. Funnily enough we didn’t see one horse all day as we didn’t leave the champagne tent, it was a crazy day and night out. Weird as you can’t get a bet on out there so it does take an element of the fun away with no live gambling. Anyway we weren’t that bothered as we were surrounded by our own gorgeous fillies all day long…I would highly recommend a visit if you get the chance, it’s like Royal Ascot used to be in the good old days!
When I interviewed you at the end of your most successful season yet last year, you admitted you were working on something new and very special for San Antonio for 2015. So, Tony, prey tell…
Yes, last season was unreal and the best yet…but the way things are looking for 2015 it seems like it’s going to be even busier. Yes we are still working on this potential exciting new project, but I still can’t reveal the details as there are a few people involved and we want to make an announcement when everything is signed sealed and delivered. Hopefully in the next few months if all is successful – if it does happen it will be huge for San Antonio.
So Ocean Beach Club 2015. What changes to the venue have you made over the winter?
Wow where do I start!!! There have been significant changes in the garden area of the Beach Club, we have added two more elevated sections with more VIP style beds and in one of the non VIP sections we have had a circular jacuzzi fitted in amongst the beds which will be great fun for the guests there. The two areas we have improved will generate a better atmosphere in both sections because of the style and lay out of it all. We have sadly removed the sunset terrace restaurant as well which is a great shame as I loved the food up there. But it’s all for a good cause as we have added a lot more single and double loungers to this area now as they were much needed as we sell out of those every single day of the summer…so now we will be able to satisfy and accommodate more guests who aren’t in large groups. To this area we have also added two big jacuzzis as well, what a great place to sit in the jacuzzi watching the sunset with stunning views across the bay eh? There have been a few other changes such as more speakers and effect lighting throughout as this year we will be ramping up the evenings as well as the daytime.
There were lots of San An restaurants open all winter and many were packed. Is a winter eatery ever crossed your mind on an island slowly inching towards a year round destination…?
Haha! Dan you must be reading my mind! Yes we will be hopefully opening an eatery in San Antonio next winter that will be open all year round, so watch this space…!!! The island is becoming more and more all year round for residents and when I come and visit in the winter it’s always hard to find a few decent places open. So hopefully with our new addition this will help that situation.
Ushuaia buying a hotel in San Antonio, Javier rumoured to have finally got his boutique hotel, the Dutch back at Eden, Es Paradis on a wee roll. Things looking good for San An huh?
Yes great news on all of these points. We love and embrace all new businesses and investments into San An and it’s important that all businesses support each other and not fight each other as important new and exciting things happen each year. San An is starting to become very cool again slowly but surely…there has been significant investment locally and I know a few more things happening over the next two years in San An also. I think in my last interview with you I mentioned that the standard of hotels in the area had to improve? Well someone must have been reading or listening as currently there are 10 local hotels all being refurbished which is fantastic news for the area…all we need next is Shaggy to become mayor…Martin Makekpeace is a top fella who does a lot for San An.
I have often looked onto your inflatable assault course nestling in the sea outside ocean beach. Have you ever given if it a go and who was last year’s celebrity champion?
Hahaha…well don’t look mate, just do it !!!!! It’s so so much fun, it really is an hour of laughter. It was very popular last year which was it’s debut season and the bookings in advance this year are insane, so I am sure this season is going to be even better…especially with the new added additions to the course. I have only done it the once as a promise to my daughter and it showed me how unfit I really was and the people I was with put me to shame!!! But this has inspired me for 2015 to get fitter…hmmm lets wait and see!!! The champion last year was Joey Essex funnily enough (as you may have seen, he went on to win The Jump on TV), so this year we are doing a Towie v Made In Chelsea It’s A Knockout Competition to raise money for a local San An charity for under privileged kids…so that promises to be a fun day on the Ocean.
Brilliant. What can you tell us about the weekly line ups this summer. What’s new and what has been given the boot?
We have made two change’s to this season’s programme. One of them is on a Tuesday where we have brought in the famous Kisstory parties from Kiss FM which will be a throwback to all the big classic tunes from yesteryear. Then on a Thursday we have tweaked our Ocean Grooves day and we have teamed up with the Ministry Of Sound, they had a massive R&B album this winter called ‘Ministry Of Sound VIP’…it went to No. 1 across most charts for a number of weeks and was a huge success, so we are hosting this each Thursday with the urban DJ legends Spoony and Colin Francis to bring you all the best R&B and soulful house grooves.
Is Lovely Laura back this summer? DMCWORLD loves her!
She won’t be hosting her Pull The Plug acoustic live sets like she has done for the last two years which is a great shame as this was one of my personal favourite days. But she will be returning every Monday for Hed Kandi as well as a whole host of other one off parties throughout the summer. She is incredible and now she has been on BGT her diary is even more packed out, so we are lucky we have her at all really. But she loves performing at Ocean and steals the show each time she performs.
Ocean Beach in May will be one of the host venues for this year’s Emerging Ibiza week long festival – you pride yourself in never paying inflatable DJ fees… Emerging is great for Ibiza right – until greedy managers get their claws into these new talents?
It’s great to have Emerging Ibiza hosting a party for the second year running, it’s very important to listen to new talent that is breaking through and the musical style this brings. We are looking forward to this event a lot. And yes this is correct we don’t pay huge DJ sums…thankfully we are busy enough and we don’t rely on DJs to fill our venue, people come regardless what day and who is on just to have a good time and enjoy the venue and atmosphere. I also do think it’s good for Ibiza and for us in particular, but each and every venue is different and have different policies, if we held 8000+ people of course then we would have to look at the bigger artists. But we’re not thank god as this is now a real cut throat business with everyone competing for the big names. And yes, you’re right – the managers end up earning more than the actual venues themselves which in my opinion personally is wrong, but hey ho, that’s life !!!
Our old mate Boy George came out with this little comment this week when discussing the argument whether a DJ should entertain or educate… “imagine if you went to see a comedian and knew all the jokes or a film and knew the ending? Why expect the DJ to play the shit you know? Thoughts on that? The camp out there is divided. No pun intended.
Well he would say that as he commands high fees himself. But also I do see his point, it all depends what you are looking for on a night out really, as I think we all have different musical tastes for different occasions…don’t we? I know I do, I don’t want to go to a wedding for instance and listen to hard house…but I do like Emerging Ibiza events where it’s an education in music…but at affordable prices. So why to be educated in music do people have to pay a small fortune for entrance and drinks? I await your answer Boy George…
What was the biggest lesson you learnt from Ibiza 2014?
To only get smashed twice a week instead of five days…wow it makes a big, big difference in so many ways. It made me enjoy the two days I did party a lot more than just doing it for the sake of it. It also made me feel a lot healthier, that might sound weird but for once I had white eye balls instead of yellow!!!! I learnt to drink more water and loved it!!!!!
Loved the Kenny Dope and Tom Crane album last year…who is next?
We’re not sure yet we are currently looking at possibilities, but it will be along the same type of tip hopefully, pick a great legendary artist who now and again plays at Ocean alongside one of our super cool in house residents.
One of the key factors the success of Ocean Beach is your staff – it’s like one big family. How many come back year after, I see you were advertising for a new head VIP host a few weeks back?
Yes we love our staff – a big big thank you to everyone who has worked here as I know to some it seems glamorous, but trust me they work bloody hard as well. Yes we are like a family as a lot of the original core staff (who are still here) were our friends in the first place, so most people who work here are friends and friends of friends which is really nice as they all show a lot of respect for the job and genuinely care about the businesses – which is amazing for an owner to have that within your team. We retain about 75% of staff each year which is a very high amount for a business of this nature, but they all seem to love working here so we must be doing something right!!! It’s not just because they have got an amazing boss either hahaha!!!! Yes one departure this year is Lord Johnny our VIP manager who has been with us since we opened. He got the thumb print on the head from his missus and had to return home to the UK to become a house husband, which personally I think he is more suited to anyway!!!! Big loss but a new big character to replace him so out with the old and in with the new…good luck David.
What celebrities that come out always makes your bank manager call you with congratulations as he knows full well that ocean beach is about to get a massive bar take…?
Celebrities spending money???? You sure??? When was the last time you went out with a celeb and they treated you all night? Haha!!!! They are very lucky they get a lot of stuff paid for them, I am not saying we do as we make most pay, but usually it’s the entourages they are with that pick up the bills, apart from Joey. He loves a spend up…Rory Mcllroy – he was a good spender but he had plenty to celebrate last year and what a top lad. We look forward to him coming back this year, a great lad.
And finally young man. That huge Sun Angel bed you have down at your Salon Tru Tan and Beauty Back in Surrey looks immense. How many times did you have a session on it to top up your tan prior to arriving in Ibiza?
Haha!! Me never, I am naturally “red”. I didn’t the nickname Tony Tomato for nothing…okay, maybe I did try it out a couple of times – be rude not to. A great bit of kit and does the job, Dan I have got the white patches on my bum to prove it..!!
http://www.oceanbeachibiza.com/
